European OTC Market Conference In Brief
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Countries expand nonprescription sales: Italy and Hungary ease regulations for sales of nonprescription drugs. Drug companies and stores in Italy now can price nonprescription drugs as they wish as long as the amounts do not exceed prices set in December 2006 and are visible at points of sale, Guido Rasi, director general of the Italian Medicines Agency, said at the Association of the European Self-Medication Industry's (AESGP) Nov. 5 conference in Paris. Rasi added that retail prices also can be discounted. Through October 2008 in Hungary, 701 licensed non-pharmacy outlets were selling nonprescription products, including analgesics and vitamins, said Zsuzanna Szepezdi, director general of the country's National Institute of Pharmacy. She explained that Hungary eased nonprescription sales regulations in early 2007 so that some products can be sold outside the pharmacy if they are stored in closed cupboards and information about the products is available via electronic information systems
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